Confession: I haven't run a half marathon since August. In fact, the only race I've run is Marine Corps Marathon. And I only have one more race on my calendar for 2016 - the 5 mile Chocolate Run. I am absolutely OK with how 2016 is wrapping up. In fact, I've actively chosen not to do a local half marathon or any of the other holiday races. But it's time to get the planning started for 2017. I have 17 states left. No, I'm not going to announce that I'm going to knock out all 17 in 2017. Although, how cool would that be? Instead, I'm going to focus on knocking out that chunk in the midwest and the southern east coast. That will just leave me with the western third of the United States, Hawaii, and Alaska AKA all the expensive races for … [Read more...]
Marine Corps Marathon Do Over
Last year was supposed to be my last marathon for a while and definitely was my last planned Marine Corps Marathon. Yet, here I sit, days away from running MCM again. While I'm still slightly unclear on how I moved from not wanting to run it to signed up, I know that once I signed up, I had a goal. My goal? To run the race with the mental strength I had last year, but the pace I had on my second marathon. To say I'm nowhere near that pace would be an understatement. I have no one to blame but myself. And I know I'll have fun at MCM (and in some ways it will be more fun because I won't be "racing"), but it's not going to be the race I would have liked for my final (for now) marathon. I'd love to go back and start my training over. … [Read more...]
My 50 States Half Marathon Journey
After I finished the Marine Corps Marathon in 2008, I thought to myself "what challenge should I take on next?" My answer was to run a race in all 50 states. At the time, I had only run one half marathon (ZOOMA Annapolis) and had not actually fallen in love with that distance yet. So, I set out on my journey to run a race in all 50 states, but my only goal was that as few as possible be as short as a 5k. I know. Looking back, I wish I'd set the half marathon goal earlier. Why? Because I have to re-do a few states and none of them will be easy. I need to re-do Alaska (10 miler), Illinois (5k), Iowa (10k), Oregon (10K), Utah (10k), and Washington (5 miler). If I were still counting all races, I'd be at 39 states, sigh. But here I … [Read more...]
Lifetime Half #60, State #32: Hungry Duck Run (MI)
Hungry Duck Run Half Marathon July 4, 2016 2:20:24 Temp: Mid 60s at the start, high 70s by the end What I wore: hat, tank top, a Skirt Sports Gym Girl Ultra, Features socks, and Altra One 2.5 I have to admit that I wasn't very excited to be running this race. I've learned over the course of many half marathons that in teeny tiny races like the Hungry Duck Run (especially when they offer a shorter distance too), I'm going to be nearly last and I'll be running mostly by myself. But I needed Michigan and this was the only race available while we were in town. The race took place in the town of Brighton, which had a fabulous brewpub (Draught Horse brewing). That alone made it worth running LOL. Unfortunately, Shoo had a super … [Read more...]
In Pursuit of the Perfect Race
Happy Tuesday, y'all. Hope your Independence Day was a fun! Mine was awesome as I completed my 21st half marathon in 21 states in 365 days. Only two more races to go! Today on Tuesdays on the Run, we are talking about how you choose the races you run. What is your thought process? Mine is pretty straight forward: Run.All.The.Races! No? OK, really my first thought is "does it get me a new state?" If the answer is yes, run it. If no... Create Your Own Visited States Map Is it near a new brewpub? (Map is FAR from comprehensive.) If the answer is yes, run it. If no... Does Shoo have a soccer game or tournament? Yeah, I don't check his schedule first. I'm sure that makes me a bad mom, but soccer season and race … [Read more...]
Confessions of a Race Addict
Did you say race? Where do I sign up? Yes, today on Tuesdays on the Run, we are talking about how often you race. Umm, admitting how often I race is kind of like admitting how many skirts I have from Skirt Sports. I'm not sure anyone really needs to know the exact number... I ran my first race in 2007 - an 8K. It seemed like a long ways. I ran 4 other races that year, including my first 10 miler. 5 races in a year seems reasonable, right? I ran 4 races in 2008 with my first half marathon and first marathon both occurring that year. That seemed like a lot of miles. I ran 14 races in 2009 including 3 half marathons and 2 10 milers. Is this where the addiction began??? I ran 11 races in 2010 including 2 half marathons, a 10 … [Read more...]
Five things to know about Mainly Marathons
I love Mainly Marathons. I fell in love with the series on Day 2 of the very first series I did in 2013. I'd found my tribe. All the crazies that were running around in circles for a ridiculous number of miles each day? These are my people. I've now done four full series and parts of two others. I've done 25 half marathons and 2 marathons with them (and now I'm looking at doing a 50K with them in the fall.) Obviously I love running races with Mainly Marathons or I would not go back each year. But there are some things I've learned while doing these races that are useful to know going in. And if you haven't decided you want to run a series, go read my 5 reasons to run a Mainly Marathons series and then come back. The courses … [Read more...]
Lifetime Half #57, State #29: New England Series – Rhode Island
New England Series: Rhode Island May 19, 2016 2:22:09 Temp: low 50s What I wore: hat, tank top, a half zip, a Skirt Sports Happy Girl skirt, Features compression socks, and Altra One 2.5 This was race five of the New England Series. (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts preceded it.) The race took place at the Coventry Center Park in Rhode Island. It was a really short course, so we'd have to do 11 laps. Luckily, it was all paved, with only one hill to speak of. I was feeling a little rough. My right glute was staging a protest and decided it did not want to participate in the race. This made running a little bit of a challenge. However, the weather was basically perfect and Beer Geek told me we had no time … [Read more...]
Jumping back on the Hansons Marathon Method plan
Have you ever sat down at your calendar and gone "OMG, how is it that I only have 6 weeks left to train?" No? I mean, I'm notorious for running the random half marathon undertrained and I ran Marine Corps with a 5 week taper last fall, but I've ALWAYS done major training for the Mainly Marathons Series that I've done. Yet, here I sit, 6 weeks out from the start of 7 half marathons in 7 days and this is the first week in ages I've run more than 3 times in a week. Oops. Thanks to RNR DC, UC Charlotte half, and tomorrow's 17.75 race, I feel like I've got the ability to cover a half marathon again. So, now it's time to get back on track with back to back runs and mileage building. It occurred to me that perhaps I should have a plan, so I'm … [Read more...]
White House, racing, and feuds, oh my!
Today I'm wrapping up a busy and epic week. I mean, any week that involves a visit to the White House has to be epic, right? Not only did I get to hear the First Lady Speak, I got to talk with Dominique Dawes! I also got a selfie with a favorite RBF who I don't see often enough. After my day of White House visiting, I had to immediately start getting ready for a weekend away. With everything that I'd been up to (RNR DC expo, Capitol tour, RNR DC, soccer tournament, White House, etc.), we were completely out of clean clothes and we were leaving town on Friday! So, Wednesday became a whirlwind of laundry and trying to get in some work hours. Thankfully the day ended with a run and a beer. Thursday was more of the same … [Read more...]
Lifetime Half Marathon #47: RNR DC 2016
RNR DC Half Marathon March 12, 2016 2:18:42 Temp: mid 40s to low 50s and cloudy What I wore: hat, tank top, arm sleeves, Skirt Sports Happy Girl skirt, compression socks, and my Altra Ones. … [Read more...]
My new toy: NordicTrack treadmill
Disclaimer: I was provided the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 treadmill as compensation in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion in this sponsored post. I've been talking for a while about the sad demise of my old treadmill. I think I literally ran it to death as I used it for miles and miles of marathon training through winters of excessive snow and summers of ridiculous heat. I was sad to see it go, but I'm really excited about my new treadmill that arrived yesterday. The NordicTrack Commercial 1750 is big change from my old treadmill. It's bigger (hence the cleaning out of the playroom), it's more powerful, and it's WAY more techy. After years of running on a functional treadmill, I'm kind of excited to try out the … [Read more...]
